Log washer shaft and arm assembly



Nov'. 27, 1934. w. s. ROCKHILL LOG WASI-iER SHAFT AND ARM ASSEMBLY Filed'Aug. 17, 1932 Patented Nov. 27, 1934 UNITED STATES LOG WASHER SHAFT ANDARM ASSEMBLY William Stackhouse Rockhill, Bristol, Pa., assignor toTaylor-Wharton Iron & Steel Company, High Bridge, N. J., a corporationof New Jersey Application August 17, 1932, Serial No. 629,235

2 Claims.

A log washer, so-called, is a machine or device for Washing sand andgravel, ore, and the like. It essentially embodies a trough or housingin which a shaft revolves on a longitudinal axis. The shaft is equippedwith arms or heaters in spiral order of arrangement and as the washergenerally is set up in inclined position, the rotation of the shaftmoves the washed material from the lowest to the highest point of themachine from whence it is discharged. The arms or beaters suffer heavywear in service and require to be repaired or replaced at frequentintervals and this is expensive and vexatious because the arms areriveted and the job of cutting out the old rivets and riveting new partsentails considerable disorganization and often results in protractedshutdowns.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a log washer shaftand arm assembly of simple, highly efficient, and comparativelyinexpensive construction and which will admit of the replacement of thewearing tips of the arms in an easy and expeditious way and by unskilledlabor, and without the necessity of practically disorganizing the deviceand so making for protracted shutdowns as are occasioned under the oldpractice of removing old rivets and driving new rivets.

The nature, characteristic features and scope of the invention morereadily will be understood from the following detailed description takenin connection with the accompanying drawing, forming a part hereof,wherein Figure l is a transverse section through the shaft or centermounting showing the nature of the assembly.

Fig. 2 is a section on line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a section on line. 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4. is a section on line 44 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of the arms showing the manner ofinterlocking the base and wearing tip.

Under preferred practice, the shaft is formed in part of angle bars 5and in part of devices 6 constituting spacer blocks for the angle barsand also arms or base elements of the wearing tips 7. The angle bars,four in number, are arranged so that their opposed webs are parallel andspaced apart to accommodate the spacer blocks or arm bases 6. Thisassembly of angle bars and bases, in end view or cross-section, is ofgeneral cruciform design.

The angle bars 5 and arm elements 6 are rigidly tied, as for example, byrivets 8. They might, however, otherwise be integrated in anyconventional manner, as for example, by welding.

The arm elements 6 may be, and preferably are, of the blind cavity orbox-section form, as at 9, with side vents 10. The effect of thisconstruction is to reduce the weight of the metal which is an importantconsideration when the arms are constructed of alloy steel, as forexample, manganese steel. The chambered and vented construction is alsodesirable to insure uniform heat treatment of metal such as manganesesteel. And not the least important consideration is that the describedconstruction, in conjunction with the angle bars, admits of freecirculation, in that the side vents or windows 10 obviate the trappingof material in the box-section cavities and thereby materially aid inthe maintenance of the open construction of the shaft.

The cast or forged arm elements 6 are also formed with rivet holes 11disposed so as to register with those in the angle bars and thus enablethe parts to be assembled with ease and celerity.

The head extremities of the arm elements 6 are formed or provided withangularly disposed undercut notches, slots or channels 12, whose officeis to form one element of a quick-acting interlock with the wearing tip.Coincidently, the wearing tip 7 is formed at one end with a flaring ordovetail portion 13 adapted slidably to engage with the slot in thebase. A key 14 cooperates with theinterlocking parts effectively tosecure them as a unit. When so secured, and by reason of the angulardisposition of the slot, the wearing tip is askew with respect to itsbase and this contributes tothe general spiral arrangement of the fullcomplement of the arms.

Having described the invention, I claim 1. A log washer shaft comprisingangle bars,

devices whereby they are spaced apart and tied as a unit Which'iscruciform in cross-section, said devices constituting radial arms of thefixed shank and removable tip type and whereof the shanks are ofbox-section with side windows in opposed relation to provide forunobstructed fiow and thereby prevent trapping of material, the windowedportions of the shank elements being located between the angle bars andwithin the shaft section, whereby the shaft has an unobstructed passagethroughout its length for flow of material therethrough.

2. In a log washer, in combination, shaft sections of L-form, anddiametrically spaced radial arms joining the Us in cruciform section andestablishing therewith a continuous passage throughout the length of theshaft, said arms having'radial cavities communicating with said passageand having slots in their side walls communicating with the cavities andopen to the clear whereby an unobstructed fluidway is provided toinhibit trapping of material and loading of the shaft.

WILLIAM STACKHOUSE ROCKHILL.

